Sunday, April 4, 2010

Chloe

Here’s a nice little flick under the radar. On the surface, indie director Atom Egoyan’s new film is a typical devious hooker story. Dig deeper and it slowly turns into something much more convoluted, and creepy, than that.

Julianne Moore, one of the very best actresses working in film, delivers yet another scene-stealing performance as a successful gynecologist who becomes increasingly curious over her husband’s fidelity. Liam Neeson, reliable as ever, fills the cookie cutter husband role with his unique gift of desperate innocence. He’s one of those rare actors that can express far more with a cold stare than an extended monologue.

So Moore, in her ingenuity, decides to hire a prostitute, Chloe, to tempt her husband, then report back the details. And damn if those steamy details aren’t enough to fog up the screen. The described encounters are so hot, Moore herself falls victim to the sexual prowess of Chloe.

We see this every few years. A twentysomething hottie who’s made a name for herself in romantic comedies or lame romance films, attempts to branch out and be taken as a “serious actress”. More often than not, the actress feels the need to be naked for most of the role; no exception here. And although I was a little skeptical of Amanda Seyfried’s ability to pull off a sexy vixen, after watching Chloe, I honestly believe she has a good career ahead of her. If you’ve seen her on HBO's Big Love, you knew she had it in her. But damn girl, stay away from the Dear John’s of the Hollywood cesspool. B+

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